OUR COMMUNITY
O
n May 21, com-
munity members
gathered to celebrate
the dedication of the Chabad
Jewish Center of Troy’s new
Torah scroll.
The celebration began
with a ceremony at Riverside
Park in Auburn Hills where
community member Joy
Silverstein, who gave the lead
gift to sponsor the Torah,
spoke to the crowd. Silverstein
said how special it is that she’s
able to have such an impact
and to pass the spark of the
torch of Judaism to the next
generation and how important
that is for her.
Rabbi Levi Kagan of Oak
Park served as the event’s
Torah scribe, helping commu-
nity members finish the Torah
with everyone having the
chance to write a letter.
Community members then
paraded down the street with
a musical procession to the
back of the Chabad house
where there was food, drinks
and dancing.
Everyone got a turn to dance
with the Torah under a chup-
pah, with the idea being when
a Torah is finished, it is as
joyous as a wedding. Children
were also holding torches, sig-
nifying the Torah being passed
down to the next generation.
The celebration ended with
the Torah being brought into
its new home — in the ark of
the Chabad house.
Rabbi Menachem Caytak,
executive director of the
Chabad Center of Troy, says
the event was about bringing
the Jewish community togeth-
er to celebrate the holiest
object of Judaism.
“It was a very special thing
for so many people, like once
in a lifetime to be able to
complete the Torah. Most of
the people that were there,
it was their first time taking
part in such a celebration,”
Caytak said.
TOP: Attendees did a joyous dance with the Torah. MIDDLE: Bringing
the Torah home to its new home in the ark of the Chabad Center of
Troy. BOTTOM: Rabbi Levi Kagan and Rabbi Menachem Caytak.
The Chabad Jewish Center of Troy
celebrated its new Torah scroll.
Community Torah Celebration
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
30 | JUNE 15 • 2023
JAMIE FELDMAN